Raven's Bandits
by SuperSaiyandinosaur
Summary: This is a story hidden in the shadows, following a faunus named Aron, and his crew. As a choice that made him turn against the one, he cared most. Now he is on his way to join forces with her brother, Qrow, to aid him against the White Fang and Salem. Can Aron join up with Qrow in time before Raven catches him? Or will he meet his end protecting those he cares about?
1. The Trio

_**A/N: I'm fixing this story, so things maybe are different. It's just every time I fix errors, post and reread it I kept finding more. And first chapter is taking the longest to fix, but I already fixed the rest, and this one is the last one I need to fix the errors and stuff.**_

Three figures walked, arms bound around each other's shoulders, swaying together with the furthest to the right, Aron, who held a bottle of the best wine of the Schnee Corp, Aron had stolen this, of course. On the far left was Clove, who was just a tipsy as his friend Aron. The last was Sasha, who was to the point of unable to walk correctly, stumbling and tripping over herself. Sasha draped her arms over her allies, her friends. The three stumbled their way from the bonfire that they had 'accidentally' started by Aron playing with fire. Their drunken joy gleamed through their faces, while drunk shuffling away from their burning inferno, they back again to sing a wasted joyful drinking song.

"Need someone dead? Scarred for life? Then search no further than we three! We'll kill a man in an instant, and nothing is horrible enough to where we can't handle." The drunkard's posse sang with their tipsy hearts. "We're Raven's elite…"

As they sang with eyes closed, all three tripped over a fallen tree branch. Aron and his Faunus team fall forward and face planting with a short skid across the ground.

"Ow…" Aron, Clove, Sasha said in perfect unison.

Drunkenly picking himself off the ground, Aron struggles to stand with the bottle in hand. Lazily looking around, he sees that they stumbled into the 'cell' part of the camp if you can even call it that. Looking toward the cage, Aron spots a blurry white figure behind bars, two shapes sitting on a big blur that looked like a box. Another standing a few feet away with a shining sword, but a more significant figure took its place by its side. Aron manages to shuffle his way to the group by the cage, while Clove and Sasha unsuccessfully try to help each other up.

"Who are you guys?" Aron slurred while rubbing his eyes.

"Aron, you're drunk, go to your tent and sleep it off." One of the figures on the box said with a chuckle.

"Yeah, let the grown-ups handle this." The second seated figure snapped.

"You shouldn't have said that." The sword handler warned.

"Why? He's too drunk to do anything about it." The two on the box said mockingly.

A second after the two spoke, a bottle smashes right against the box they were sitting on. The liquid rushes out over the side of the crate. The two look down toward the running beer and the shattered glass, then glaring daggers at Aron.

"Oh? I missed?" Aron said as he deadpanned, like Saitama.

A short chuckle came from the figure closest to the cage and the white blur. Another shout came from behind, Aron half-hearted look back and the other quickly turns to see Sasha and Clove talking in their sleep.

"I got 'em!" Clove said with pride and joy.

"No, no, no! I got 'em you, daft idiot!" Sasha said while donning a slight Irish accent.

"These guys are the best!" Aron said, failing to hold in a laugh.

After the Clove and Sasha had fallen back to sleep, Aron turns back toward the people behind him. His vision became slightly more apparent. Though he had to squint, he could tell the figure in the cage was a girl dressed in white and blue formal clothes.

"Hey… what's with you and kidnapping kids?" Aron said drunkenly, " Is it like your fetish your something?"

The figure turned and stomped toward Aron, who was a blank wall. Stopping a few inches in front of Aron, the outline brings their face very close to Aron's face in an attempt to imitate him. Sleepily looking up to the figure, and the further, he looked up the clearer the person got. His eyes go wide, as the figure that was once a blur was, in fact, the bandit leader, Raven.

"Wanna run that by me again?" Raven said threateningly, place her hand on the hilt of her sword.

"Oh! Hey Rae Rae," Aron said drunkenly, "Since you asked so nicely.."

Aron cleared his throat, putting a hand on Raven's shoulder. Just before Raven could question his hesitation, a mischievous smile rapidly spreads across his face. Aron's hand moved from Raven's shoulder to cup her cheek and pulled her into a heated kiss.

A moment of shock fell upon the group, the two bandits nearly fell off their box, while the lady behind Raven dropped the huntress's rapier. A blush rushed into Raven's cheeks like a taco's on a Tuesday night. Different feelings forced their way into Raven's mind. Anger, lust, hunger, but in the end, wrath had gotten better on her. After Aron pulled away to both let out a short gasp, after a brief second, Raven buried a punch into Aron's cheek, sending him flying back to where Clove and Sasha lay sleeping like newborn babies.

"Totally! Worth it!" Aron screamed with delight, moments before crashing into a crate, and falling unconscious.

Hours go by, and the trio woke to the sounds of birds chirping and the sounds of lively camp. Sasha and Clove dust themselves off and do a bit a stretching due to sleeping on the hard ground. Aron yawns still in his crate, pushing off some of the debris at rested with him as he rose from the wreckage. Placing a hand on his forehead and walked over to his comrades. Aron's fox ears limp as he rubbed his head, Clove's ears stood on end due to his wolf senses. Turning around, Clove crossed his arms and donned a smirk. Sasha stood idly by sharpening her antlers, which were pointing out of her forehead.

"Soo buddy, how was your night?" Clove mocked, looking pasted Aron to the smashed crate.

Following Clove's gaze, "Oh! That, that was just a-uh unstable...dust crystal." Aron said, putting up his hands and shrugging his shoulders.

"Yeah sure, because we totally believe that," Sasha said, sarcastically walking to the group.

"Yeah, yeah, let's just get some breakfast, alright." Aron was straightening his coat.

Sasha and Clove laugh following Aron. A soon while they reach the mess hall after a short wait, they grabbed their food and found their way to their usual table. Aron had a deli sandwich, ham, cheese, lettuce, and mayo. Clove had his signature bowl of pumpkin Pete's marshmallow flakes cereal. Aron had told him many times that stuff tasted like someone had cooked a rat for days and then poured lemon juice on it for an exact hour. But all Clove kept saying that it was good eating,' and it helps build an iron stomach. Sasha had her usual a burrito with extra hot 'hot sauce.'

While everyone enjoying breakfast, one of the guys from the night before came up to their table sat across Aron.

"So, Aron, how's your face?" The man said mockingly, "you know after Raven smacked the hell out of you for stealing a kiss!"

The udder of the very words cause Clove to choke on his cereal and Sasha to dump all of her hot sauce into her burrito, but that didn't bother her that much. Aron finished chewing his food and drank a cup of coffee, which he always had in the mornings. What Clove still choking was starting to turn blue, but with a hard smack to the back from Aron, most of the cereal came out with a little milk dripping down the side of his mouth.

"Hey... Mark!" Aron said sarcastically while setting down his coffee, "How's the wife? The kids? My face is fine, by the way, but it was starting to hurt now, though."

"Oh! And why's that?" Mark said, playfully.

"I just saw your face! And man do gotta say, I went to this great dentist in Mistral," Aron said with a creepy smile on his face. "He can totally fix the old chompers you got there, and get you some nice new ones."

"What! Do you want to have a go!" Mark said, angrily.

"Oh! I don't wanna mess your grill up any more than it already is." Aron retorted, "But if you insist, I'd gladly help you out."

Aron and Mark nearly at each other's throats, but are cut off by someone shouting from the entrance of the mess hall.

"All right! That's enough!"

Aron instantly recognizes the voice and slowly sits back down. Picking up his coffee and resumes drinking. Mark, on the other hand, didn't know who the sound was, tried to start something, but was formed swift punch to the face with the same amount of force that was used on Aron.

Mark flew out the door, followed by a loud crash outside.

"Damn, was that what I looked like?" Aron laughs into his coffee. "Ever heard of holding back, Rae Rae?"

"You certainly didn't last tonight," Raven jokes, "Also, I need to see you in my tent. 5 minutes."

A blush rose on Aron's cheeks, but he hides it behind his mug. Sasha was just lost in her perfect burrito, while Clove stared out the door then back to Raven, a shiver ran down his spine. As Raven left, the mess hall with a few sandwiches, Clove turned to Aron.

"So buddy, you gonna tell us, uh..what that was all about, huh?" Clove questioned Aron while wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

"What? I have no idea what you're talking about homie." Aron said, getting up to throw away his trash and to get another cup of coffee.

Clove followed close behind, leaving Sasha to bask in a state of shire bliss, after consuming her extra spicy burrito. Aron and Clove got a few feet away, but stop at the sound of a godly burp erupting behind them. They turn to see Sasha blenching out flames and a cartoonishly amount of smoke.

"What? No, you know what I'm not gonna question it." Aron said, brushing off the thing they witness.

"What! How can you not question that!? Dude, Sasha just burped up some fire!" Clove said with shock, questioning his reality.

"Yeah, and I play with fire, and you don't see me having a mental break down," Aron states, with a sarcastic tone. "Though I do space out a lot when I stare at it for too long."

"Wait, is that a good or bad thing?" Clove said, raising an eyebrow at his friend.

"Who knows?" Aron said as he turns to head out the door, "Now my friend, our leader needs my help, or maybe I'm in trouble? The plot thickens!" Aron added a lot of sarcasm to his final words.

"Wha-" Clove tries to speak, but just before Aron quick shoved a spoonful of the marshmallow flakes into his mouth and ran away.

Aron made his way across the courtyard, to the enormous white tent pushing past the curtain. Aron walked into the main room. To his surprise, it was empty.

"Hello? Rae? You here?" Aron spoke up, looking around while putting his hand in the pocket of his cloak.

While looking at a painting of Raven holding the head of a beowolf's head. Before he could move to the next picture, he felt arms slip through his sides and wrap around his chest, hooking on his shoulders.

"Hey there. What do you say we continue where we left off from last night?" Raven whispered lustfully in Aron's ears, causing his fox ears to stand at attention,

"Now, that's something I can do for you, my little bird," Aron said, turning in Raven's arms.

Raven pushes her lips to Aron's; he felt a hunger within the kiss and slowly made his hands around to Raven's backside. Grabbing a handful of Raven's great booty, a short gasp escapes from Raven as Aron lifts Raven and carries her over to her desk. Raven's legs wrapped around Aron's waste as he set her down on the counter. Raven furious kissed Aron, and he returned with even more ferocity. Aron slowly undid the uniform of his leader, once her armor loosened and dropped to the floor with a clang.

"You look better without your armor," Aron lustily said, sliding his hands onto Raven shoulders, stealing quick pecks against her skin.

As Aron nibble on Raven's neck, short thirsty moans slip from the bandit's feared leader. To think that Aron made her feel this way brought even more exciting, and he increased his effort to make her reach her maximum. Aron's hands make their way down Raven's arms, causing the rest of her clothes to fall to the floor. Aron looked at the sight in front of him; his leader exposed like this brought a rise in his pants.

"Well, now, what do we have here?" Raven said, crossing her legs greedy, then prodding Aron with her foot. " What say I could you get rid of that?"

Before Raven could say anything else, Aron pressed his lips against Raven, then grabbing both of Raven's soft, warm breasts.

"Oh! You're a boob guy, aren't you?" Raven questions, through her moaning.

An erotic moan from Raven, while she hurries and removes Aron's shirt. Aron and Raven broke apart due to the lack of air and to remove their remaining clothes. Soon they both stand naked, staring at each, then Raven cox's Aron toward her desk once again. Hopping on her office, spreading her legs, a naughty smile stretches across her face. Aron walked up to Raven's exposed pleasure cave, and slowly lowered his pleasure stick to the same height as his leader. Ramming his sword into Raven's sheath, causes her to let out a loud erotic moan, and she starts to drool, her ahegao face makes Aron ride even faster. The lewd noises coming from their lower regions smacking together, made Raven enjoy it even more.

A few hours go by. Aron walks out of Raven's tent, fox ears twitching, and his once smooth tail was now fluffy and ruffled as Aron got to the final step, Clove, and Sasha around the corner coming from the training grounds.

"Aron, where were you? You missed out on training." Sasha questioned, placing a fist on her hip and jamming Aron's chest with a finger.

"Oh! I was doing something." Aron chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, "Lost track of time, I guess."

As the words left his mouth, arm swings over his shoulder.

"I was something." Raven mischievously smiled, tugging on Aron's shoulder. " Isn't that right, Aron?"

A blush erupted on Aron's cheeks. Clove and Sasha stood there dumbfounded, unable to find words.

"Oh! That reminds me. Babe, could you be a dear and feed the prisoner." Raven smiled, lightly grasping the tip of Aron's chin, pulling him closer to her. Their lips were mere inches apart. "Then maybe you'll get to go another round tonight." She said just before pulling away.

"Ah! Your teasing may come at a price, but we can talk about later." Aron whispered seductively into Raven's ear, causing her smile smugly.

As soon as Raven left, Clove and Sasha regain their knack for words.

"Dude, what the hell was that?!" Clove said with shock.

"Yeah, spill the beans!" Sasha followed behind Clove.

"Alright, I will. .after I feed the prisoner, so caught you guys later," Aron said, running in the opposite direction.

"No! You're not getting away that easily. After him!" Clove shouts, then breaking after Aron, followed closely by Sasha.

Aron rounds corner after corner until he made his way back to the cages. Aron sat down by a crate, leaning back against it catching his breath.

"What are you running from?"

"Ah!" Aron yelled, fear almost consuming him.

"Why would you be scared of me? I'm in a cage." Weiss said, gesturing around her.

"Oh, nothing," Aron said after calming down. "I came to bring you food."

Getting up from his resting place, Aron reaches around behind his back and pulls out a small rucksack. Walking over to the cage and sticks into a small opening.

"Catch," Aron said, while lightly tossing it to the caged Schnee. "I made it myself."

Weiss catches the bag, then looks back to Aron, "You know, you're a lot nicer than most of the bandits here."

"Heh, well, I'm just a nice guy," Aron said with a chuckle.

After Aron finished talking, a chill ran through his body like a bullet. Aron's sense of danger went into overdrive.

"They..found me.." Aron said, his eyes filling with fear.

"Who's found…" Weiss started but was cut off by two pairs of glowing red dots in the shadows.

" Are those eyes?"

"Where?! Were they red?" Aron said, trying not to move.

"Behind you in the crate, you smashed last night," Weiss said, leaning to get a better view of the crate and what was inside it. "Yes, their red."

Before Aron could answer, two shadow tentacles shoot out of the shadow and locking around Aron's ankles. Looking down, but not quick enough to react, Aron gets pulled back, dragging into the darkness.

"Oh shit!" Aron said, trying to grab something while being dragged.

Weiss tried to grab his hand but was just too far away. Grabbing hold of a crate but losing his grip, Aron only had one choice.

"Alright! I'll tell you guys!" Aron shouted to the shadows.

As he said that the shadows disappear, and Clove and Sasha walk out of the darkness. The shadows sink back into Clove's sleeves.

"Would you look at that, all it took was to activate my semblance to get him to talk," Clove said sarcastically.

"Yeah, yeah," Aron said, sitting upon the ground.

Laughing to the side, Clove walks behind the crate to pull out a couple of chairs and a bottle of Aron's favorite wine. Sasha offers Aron a hand off the ground, then they join Clove, who set up a little triangle of the chairs he brought. Aron went into the forest and brought back some firewood and laid them in a pile in the middle of the chairs. Sasha dug in a sack that she had with her and took out a pack of hotdogs.

"I'll start the fire," Aron said with enthusiasm.

"Oh, no, you don't. I'll start the fire." Clove said as he opened the wine. "Have you seen what you can do with fire?"

"Uh, yeah? That's why I want to start the fire." Aron said, picking up a box of matches.

"Hey, no, you're not!" Clove said, taking the matches from Aron, with the help of his semblance. "You always use too much gas."

"What?! No, I don't," Aron said, flicking a match that he stole last second.

"Hey! No!" Clove yelled, extending his arm to his friend.

Time slowed as Aron tossed the match over his back while he stared Clove in the eye. In a blink of an eye, Aron was standing in front of a burning inferno. In Clove's eyes, he saw a silhouette of Aron engulfed by flame, his fox tail waving, but combined with the fire, he saw eight transparent tails in the light. All in all, Clove saw nine tails, and this sent a chill down his spine for some reason. Just a way behind Clove in her cage, Weiss watches through covered eyes, trying to block out most of the light from the flames.

"What is that? Is that his semblance?" Weiss said softly so only she could hear.

"Alright, alright. Calm down, let's hear the story about you and Raven." Sasha said, impaling a hotdog on a sharp stick she found, a smile as sly as Aron appeared on her face.

"Alright gather round kids, for I am about to tell you a tale about an encounter of a lifetime," Aron said with dramatic flair, circling the fire, looking to his friends and Weiss, who resided behind them.

Weiss was intrigued by the idea of a story and could use some entertainment; also, she had no choice but to listen to the story. The warmth of the fire felt soothing her cold skin, the wonder of what her captor's tale held in-store kept her intrigued.

Aron words filled the fresh night air; his voice was passionate, he spun words like wind dancing across a vast plain of tall grass, and with so much enthusiasm that the others had very vivid images that played in their heads. Smiles slowly rose on Sasha and Clove's face, and a deep blush fell upon the captured Schnee's face to a point where she placed her hand over her mouth.

The fire started to dim, embers shimmer, dry wine, and whiskey bottles lay around the bonfire. Sasha asleep by the fire, Aron face first in the dirt, with every snore blows back loose sand. Weiss asleep in the corner of her cage near the light. Clove sat with his back against a crate staring at his semblance, while a bit disorientated.

"Duuude, what the fuck is coming out of my hands," Clove said in a high voice.

"Argh! Duuude, you know how you can find out what's coming out of your sleeves?" Aron said annoyed, and face still in the dirt.

"Oh, really tell me! I'm freaking out here!" Clove said in a drunken panic, looking toward his friend.

"Going the fuck to sleep!" Aron said as he threw an empty wine bottle, nailing Clove in the head, knocking him unconscious.

A few hours go by the trio awake to the sound of a bird screeching. Aron blocks the sun from his eyes with his tail, Sasha covered her eyes with her left hand and held on to Clove's arm while they walked to the lunchroom, to get a well-deserved cup of coffee. After the cook added their favorite coffee creamers, to their cups, they walk out to the courtyard. After standing for a bit, the three took a long sip of their coffees. A loud noise of the front gate opening, but it didn't even distract them from their coffee.

As the others lowered their cups, Aron still enjoy his coffee, but again listening with full attention, they saw a group of bandits surrounding a blonde-haired girl with a metal arm. Raven came out of her tent and addressed the visitor.

"Yang," Raven said after removing her helmet.

"Mom," Yang said plain and stone-hearted.

Aron's fox ears perked at utter those words, shocked Aron inhale sharply while still drinking his coffee, causing him to spray from his mouth onto the ground. Coughing violently, Aron manages to regain some of his composure, Clove and Sasha stare at Aron for a second then remembered what happened between him and Raven.

The trio looked back to the conversation between Raven and Yang, only to hear Raven say take her away, and the bandits close in on her.

"Well, shit," Sasha said as she looked down to see she'd spilled her coffee, and watched helplessly as it rolled away and was stomped on by a bandit who was getting closer to Yang. "OH! Hell no, come you, two bitches, it's fightin' time!"

"Wait; what?" Clove said, who was confused by the sudden rage raising in Sasha.

"Eh, fuck it, I'm still a bit drunk from last night," Aron said, rubbing his forehead. "These guys aren't making my headache go away."

"You're OK with this?" Clove said as he pulled out his leather fingerless gloves.

"Of course, just don't kill them," Aron said, wrapping his bandages around his hands.

The trio glance at each other, seeing that they were ready, Aron did a quick nod, the others ran to Yang, vaulting of bandit after bandit until they were behind Yang, facing the bandits, prepared to throw down. Aron leaped into the air and like teleporting in Naruto, appeared right beside Yang, who threw a punch at him, who dodged it at the last second.

"Hey, calm down, a bunch of people vs. one girl isn't a fair fight, so we're evening the odds," Aron said as he put both of his hands help in defense.

"I don't need your help," Yang said harshly, then looking back to Raven, " Send me to Ruby, damn it!"

"Hey, don't talk to our leader like that!" A voice called out.

Aron turned to the voice and saw Mark with a large blade.

"Mark, don't do what I think you're gonna do," Aron warned.

Ignoring Aron's warning, Mark charges Yang only to get a powerful punch from Yang's right arm, that sends him flying into a tent, which crumbled and revealed the cage that held Weiss.

"And he did it!" Aron said, his hands drop to his sides.

"Yang?!" Weiss said as she saw Yang.

"Weiss?!" Yang said, just as shocked.

"Mark!" Aron laughed, barely containing himself. " I fucking told you!"

As Aron clenched his ribs, slouching over, still laughing, Sasha and Clove holding back their laughs as best they could but still failing. Aron calmed down, looking back up, and he saw a colossal knight with white armor.

"Whoa! Big, knight person, cool." Aron said fanboying.

"You three in my tent. Now!" Raven said, anger slowly building.

"Three?" Weiss said, confused, tilting her head slightly. "Don't you mean, you two?"

"No, I meant three. You, Yang... and Aron." Raven said, pointing at each of them one by one.

"Ah, shit. . . let me get my coffee." Aron said, rushing to where his coffee was sitting, and also a random water balloon sat. "why is this here? Whelp mine now."

Looking around for any witness, Aron shoves the balloon into his pocket and hurries to Raven's tent.

"Rae?" Aron said, looking around to find no one in the tent.

"Out here!" Raven called outside her tent.

Aron walked out and saw Weiss waiting by Raven's portal and Yang talking to Raven. Aron was too far to catch what they were saying, but Yang and Weiss mount Yang's motorcycle and head to the entrance before Raven called out to her.

"I won't be as kind to the next time we meet," Raven said, resting her hand on the hilt of her sword.

Yang said something, but Aron couldn't hear, and Raven turned and walked pass Aron back into her tent.

Aron looked back to the portal, which was still open, checking for witnesses again, "Yeet!" Aron yelled before throwing the water balloon into the portal seconds before it closes. Aron chuckled to himself as he walked into Raven's tent, ready to receive his punishment.

"Aron, because you interfered early, and I saw you throw that water balloon into the portal," Raven said, crossing her arms behind her desk.

"Oh, yeah, no idea what you're talking about," Aron said with sarcasm.

"Tell you what since you interfered AND tried to lie to me about the balloon," Raven said with a smug smirk swiping across her face. "You and the others can front gate duty for a week, no coffee for two weeks, and you don't get round two."

"Ahhh, why the coffee! It was innocent!" Aron said dramatically, falling to his knees.

"Calm down, two weeks isn't that long," Raven said, shaking her head.

"No, I must grieve.." Aron said, planting his face in his hands to hold back a snicker.

"You report in the morning," Raven said with a chuckle.

Aron looks up from his hands, sticks a thumbs up, and leaves the tent to the Sasha and Clove.

"It seems fair, but front gate duty!" Sasha said with a groan.

"FAIR?! It's gonna be very boring tomorrow!" Clove yelled, nearly folding backward.

"Yeah, yeah, just be there," Aron said while yawning. "Well, I'm gonna go play with some fire or something."

Fear rises quickly through Sasha, and Clove, like a plane, breaks the sound barrier, as they followed Aron around for the rest of the day to keep him from burning down the entire camp.


	2. Abandon

The trio met in the morning, just a little way from the front gate and headed out only to see Mark and two other bandits guarding the entrance.

"Hey, Mark!" Aron said with false kindness.

"OH! This guy! What are you doing out here?" Mark said with pure hate.

Before Aron could answer, someone calls out from the forest, causing the group to turn to the woods.

"Hey, ugly!" A silver-hair person said.

"Oh, You gonna take that, Marky boi?" Aron said as he glanced at Mark to just looked at him.

"Is Raven Branwen home?" A green-haired girl called, followed the silver-headed lackey.

"No, sorry, she's at her summer villa, Miss Green hair," Aron said, as he crossed his arms, with a sarcastic grin.

"You hear that boss sounds like they don't want to cooperate." Grey-haired shrew remarked.

"Then make them, ya grey haired bitch." A woman emerged from the darkness like a slime wanker.

"Oh! Cinder, it's nice to SEE you!" Aron said with fake emotion.

"I want to kill you so damn much for that, so I'll have Mercury do it." Cinder said, unbridled hate overflowing just like her ego.

"My pleasure boss," Mercury said like an ass-kisser he is.

"Need some help?" Clove said only to answered by Sasha

"No, I wanna see how this plays out," Sasha said, while she leaned against a gate in the shade.

"Mercury, is it? I'm saving myself for Cinder, BUT you can fight my friend here." Aron said as he patted Clove's shoulder.

"Hey! If he gets the old guy, I'll take that chick." Sasha said as she jumped up from her shady spot under a tree, then she stomped over to Aron.

"By all means, ma friend. Just don't kill 'em, Raven might have some words for them." Aron said when he looked over his shoulder to Sasha.

"Old guy?" A man with a mustache called out behind Cinder, "I'm not that old!"

"Not you! Him." Sasha said as she brushed off the man's comment and pointed to Mercury.

"Hey!" Mercury remarked after the insult.

"Well, Sasha? Clove?" Aron looked at his friends than to their opponents.

They both nodded, and the emotions on their faces change entirely. When Sasha used her semblance, her face was drained of passion, an empty husk. Clove turned into a cruel, blood-hungry smile. The very sight of them, disturbed Emerald and Mercury, slightly to where only Cinder and Aron noticed.

Sasha and Clove stepped toward the grey and green-haired warriors. Their faces calm and collected, but a little stirred; Clove stretched out his hands and mimicked holding a weapon. Out of his sleeves, black shadows, extending into his palms. The darkness then took the form of two battle axes; his grip tightened to show that they were genuine.

Before Clove rushed Mercury with blinding speed, Clove let out a chuckle that like a madman. Mercury was startled but reacted just in time, then he launched his series of attacks, only to be deflected or dodged.

Emerald watched before turning her attention to Sasha, only to see Sasha's forearms oozing with blood. Twin blades formed from the blood, exiting her arms. Disgusted by the display, Emerald fired a volley of bullets directly to Sasha, but they were instantly cut down by Sasha's blades. Sasha just kept walking, unaffected, and unharmed she drew closer and Emerald started to panic and causing her to use her semblance.

Within seconds, Sasha is surrounded by a dozen creatures of Grimm, which caused her to stop in her tracks. Sasha looked from left to right as she eyed each Grimm with a stone dead expression on her face. Then she started to walk again straight to Emerald.

"What?! She keeps coming!" Emerald said as fear ran through her body and which made Emerald order the Grimm to charge Sasha.

The Grimm pounced toward Sasha, who spun with enough speed to create a vortex that sucked in the Grimm and ripped them to shreds. As the battles raged between either side, Aron and Cinder are locked in a stare. Arms both crossed, glares like a fire burning through a mountain filled with gasoline. As the battles come to a halt due to either side not able to gain any ground, both teams evenly matched. Aron sets forward, as does Cinder.

"You know, I heard about what you did at Beacon, Cinder," Aron said, as he looked deep into her eyes.

"Have you now?" Cinder glared back, "And what's it to you?"

"My brother went to Beacon," Aron said, as he gritted his teeth.

"Oh? You want to fight me to give your brother death, meaning?" Cinder said with a chuckle.

"My brother isn't dead!" Aron said as anger boiled within, his eyes narrowed in on Cinder. "He managed survived, but has been hospitalized for weeks now."

"And fight you? No, I'm gonna kill you." Aron continued as a flash of orange light appeared and engulfed him.

Cinder and the other blocked out the light with their hands, only to see Aron had taken on a new form. Aron had grown eight more tails, and his aura and power increased immensely. "This is what I like to call an 'Ascended Faunus.'

"What!? You think growing eight more tails is enough to intimidate me?" Cinder said after she chuckled to herself. "Guess again."

"No, but this might," Aron said, as he smirked before he entered a stance. His arms bent at his sides, his fists clenching, feet spread apart.

Aron bellowed and summoned all of his power, the anger from his brother, not being able to help him, unable to protect him, made his rage at himself and Cinder for causing him this pain. Aron's energy became visible and circled his feet while lightning coursed across the fur of his tail, chunks of earth and rock rose from the ground. Aron instantly appeared in front of Cinder and unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks that sent her flying back and crashed into a tree. As the dust settled, Cinder picked herself from the ground, not a scratch on her, as chuckled to herself, she wiped the dirt off her face.

"That tickled. Tell me, boy, do you want to anger a god?" Cinder said menacingly, with her one eye that glared daggers at Aron.

Aron laughed to himself, then he met Cinders' glare with a smile, "What's a god to a non-believer!"

The very words brought unyielding hate and rage to Cinder. Around her eye started to glow like feathers, and with a powerful forward thrust, multiple shards flew out of her hands. Volley after volley Cinder threw at Aron, clouds of smoke and dust engulfed him. As Cinder thought she had won and the fight was over and done with, Cinder had let out a slowly sinister laugh.

"That, boy, is the power of the Fall Maiden." Cinder said as if her point was just proven.

As Cinder turned to walk back to the front gate, to her surprise, a voice called out from behind her.

"So that's the power of a maiden? Honestly, I expected more."

"What!?" Cinder said as anger and shock ran wild through her veins.

"You're supposed to be dead!" Cinder said as she looked back at the still-smoking crater, she saw as Aron slowly walked out, his clothes slightly torn.

"I'll tell you what. Once I've obliterated you, all there'll be your ashes." Aron said, as he cracked his knuckles and his neck, then he locked eyes with Cinder. "Then, one of your lackeys can take you back to your master in a box."

"How dare you!" Cinder yelled, ready to attack again but was cut off by a voice that called from the front gate.

"That's enough, Aron!"

Cinder and Aron looked towards the voice to see Vernal, anger in her eyes. Aron knew that Vernal was Raven's right hand and what the consequences would be angering her, a second time. Immediately Aron let out a long exhale and returned to his original form and back to only one tail. As Aronstuffed his hands into his pockets, he calmly walked past Cinder, who looked on in disbelief. Aron reached Clove and Sasha, Aron signaled them to follow with a sharp whistle. Vernal eyed Aron and his group as they left, Vernal told Cinder and her followers that Raven would see them.

Aron looked back over his shoulder; he checked that Cinder and Vernal are out of sight, then he turned to face Clove and Sasha.

"Alright, team, scale the wall, listen to their conversation, we got a score to settle," Aron said, oddly strategically. "Stay out of sight, by the others, and Vernal."

Aron and his squad made way up the wall and were perched upon spikes, just as the sunset. They saw Cinder and Raven talking, while the rest of the bandits watched.

"Pack up camp! We're leaving." Raven ordered the bandits before they dispersed.

A short while later, as the trio listened to Cinder and Raven's conversation, Cinder talked about teaming up and accomplishing their goals to use the power of the spring maiden to achieve an ancient relic.

"You and your bandits will attack Minstrel with the White Fang, and we will handle the relic." Cinder said with confidence. "Also, dealing with your brother, of course."

As Aron heard the name, White Fang caused his fox ears to perk up, followed by a spike of anger that shot through Aron, the fur on his tail visibly on edge. The peak of the wall that he gripped to keep from falling started to crack and break. Clove and Sasha noticed but decided to talk about it later.

"I'll work with you, but I want two things," Raven said as she gripped the hilt of her sword. "I want Qrow dead, and I want you and Salem to leave my tribe and me alone."

The trio hidden in the darkness was dumbfounded, shocked, and every emotion for the surprise you can think of at the terms Raven's said. Qrow was her brother, and she wanted him dead, questions poured into Aron's mind.

"Done." Cinder said after a minute of thought. "Join us two months from now and aid the White Fang in their attack."

The two exchanged handshakes that sealed the deal, Raven and Vernal walked back into Raven's tent. The trio made their way off the wall and met up on the ground.

"Aron, what do we do?" Sasha said as she rubbed her temple.

"I say, we warn Qrow," Clove said, as he placed his hands on his hips while he paced back and forth.

"Same, I like Qrow. Also, I despise the White Fang." Aron said as his hand curled into a fist.

"I guess it's decided then," Sasha said, doing a quick stretch. "When do we leave?"

"In 10 minutes," Aron said, as he looked at his friends. "Pack your weapons and gear. We leave tonight."

The three broke away and rushed to their tents. Aron was making his way back around to the front gate, while he looked, by the edge of the forest, Vernal emerged from the shadows.

"When did you leave? Did you bring me anything?" Aron questioned, as he tried not to raise suspicions.

"I went for a walk, but I did find a stick, do you want it?" Vernal said with an enormous amount of sarcasm.

"Uh, yeah I would like the stick, I could add it to my pile of sticks from around the world," Aron said, with as much as fake enthusiasm as he could muster. "I got one from Menagerie, Vile, and even from Mountain Glen.

"Of course, you'd do that.' Vernal said, with angst as she tossed the stick toward Aron.

"Hey, don't knock it till you try it!" Aron said as he caught the stick with both hands, while he flashed a grin to Vernal, "It's very soothing."

Vernal only let out a scuff before she walked toward Raven's tent. After she turned her back, Aron's smile turns into a frown, the stick in his hand had bent until it broke. As he threw it aside, then he dusted off his hands. Aron headed back to his tent to get his things for the long journey ahead.

The camp was unsettling quiet, even for the night. Aron ignored the eerie silence and continued to his tent. In his tent was barely anything of value, but most of his things were of sentimental value. A medallion of a fox, which an old monk named 'Calin' had given him before his unfortunate death; Its eyes fuse with a gem, take when at the right angle in the sun the gem would glow a bright orange. Another was a ring, a silver engraved with a fox sitting on a crescent moon, and a nearly finished carving of a small katana with the letter R sketched into the handle.

All in all, Aron things fit in a small sack, but mostly he took just the things he cares the most. As he packed the last of his stuff, a voice called from behind him.

"I should have known; you'd leave."

Aron stopped, as his head dropped as he exhaled deeply while his fox ears wilted, Aron set down his bag, and turned to see Raven at the door, her armor still equipped.

"You've known the history between the White Fang and me, Rae," Aron said softly, he leaned back against the table. "After they did, you'd think I'd help them?"

"Yes. If we do this, all of us can finally be free of Salem and her lackeys," Raven said as she placed her hands on her hips, "Then it could just be you and me."

"Rae, I've been by your side ever since you've helped my brother and me, and would've have followed you to the end of the world," Aron said, as he crossed his arms, with a sentimental and sad look on his face. "but this… this time I can't follow you."

"Oh really, then what are you gonna do? Run? Join my brother?!" Raven said with a chuckled at the last words that left her mouth.

Aron looked up with sorrow in his eyes; Raven looked at him for a second then, a bird whistled from outside, Aron knew that it was Sasha and Clove. Raven took a second to realize, but before she could draw her blade, Aron threw a smoke pellet on the ground, which swallowed the tent with thick smoke.

"You traitor! You'd help Qrow?! Over me!?" Raven called out, as she fanned the smoke from her face.

"Yes, you know the story between the White Fang and me. . ." Aron's voice echoed through the smoke. "Before I go. . ."

Raven took a defensive stance as she expected an attack, only to feel hands wrap around her waist, pulling her close. The sudden pull made Raven let down her guard long enough to Aron to land a kiss before he escaped out the window, to rejoin his comrades. As he rushed to the gates, Aron spotted Clove and Sasha waiting. As Aron looked behind him one last time, Raven made her way out of the still smoking tent, coughing and dazed.

Nothing in the world could describe the pain he felt that day, leaving behind the things that meant the world to him. The tribe, the ones took him in when he had nowhere else to go — the friends he made, except Sasha and Clove, and of course, Raven.

The three gained ground on the tribe, and under cover of darkness, made their way to Haven Academy. They travel for hours until the moon was at its highest peak, while the group set up camp for the night, Aron checks the perimeter to ensure that they were safe. As Aron walked back into the field, Sasha had already started a fire, and Clove impaled some meat that he took for camp, on sticks, which he had found and cleaned.

"We should be safe for the night," Aron said, as he sat on a log near the fire. "But we need to get to Haven before, the tribe does."

"Yeah, but for now, get some good meat in your system," Clove said, while he handed him a meat pike.

"Also, we didn't know you had a brother!" Sasha said as she stabbed the end of her stick into the ground, then leaned it toward the flames, slowly simmering it until it's browned. "Why didn't you tell us before?"

"Ah, because I didn't want to," Aron said sarcastically, turning his meat in the fire. "Since we're probably going to die, in the days to come. I'll tell you." As Aron stared into the flame, he began to recite his tale.

When I was a kid, about 10, I was a street rat — scavenging for food and money to feed my brother, who was just a kid at the time. Times were tough; I resorted to crime to ensure our survival, I stole, pickpocketed rich people. Most food I managed to buy or shoplift, I gave it to my brother. That was day by day for me, but one day I pickpocketed someone, that instead of turning me in and have my brother taken, he took us in. His name was Calin, he was a monk of a human/Faunus monastery, which is known for its many warriors, they once fought in several wars, and occasionally protect their village that resided just below their mountain.

Calin saved us, raised us. During this time, I repaid his kindness, by training under the monks, learning basic first aid, tracker, and combat, I was the youngest to master their sets of skills. As my brother got older, we chose a name for him. 'Ronin,' after a few years, the monks became family, then Ronin started training with the monks of combat when he was 13. Though I was turning 19, I watched him excel through training, just as I did, but only a bit slower.

One day, I took Ronin out to the nearby woods to bring ingredients for the monks of healing remedies and spices for trading. When we came back, the village and the monastery, shrouded by raging flames, the screams of the villagers echoed through the mountains.

Ronin and I ran through the charred ruins of houses and shops of the village, making our way up the mountain. We managed to get into the monastery, but the monks mercilessly were slain, humans, and faunus alike. We search from room to room, while the smoke clouded our vision and choked at our lungs, trying so hard to find Calin.

In the courtyard, in the middle of the monastery, we found Calin badly burned, draining of life, but he was beaten too, black eyes and bleeding from his nose. With the last of his breath, he said, 'Protect each other,' before he passed away, he shoved a torn piece of cloth into my hand. The fabric had the symbol of the White Fang, the blooded wolf, and marks. I was so angry, consumed with rage, and set on a path of revenge. After I made enough money through underground fight clubs and occasional pickpocketing rich people in Vale, then I applied Ronin to go to Beacon Academy, knowing he'd be safe around trained huntsman. So he could help other people, instead of following my path. I've hurt people for any information about the White Fang.

When I finally found enough information to make up a plan. I was heading to the White Fang's base; alone, I had no idea about coming back that day, I was going to destroy everything and everyone. The pain and sorrow attracted Grimm, but I was to focus on my revenge to notice until they were right on top of me.

I nearly died. Beowolves and Ursa clawed at me, until a group of bandits, led by Raven, saved me and nursed me back to fighting shape. In return, I taught them all I knew, medicine, combat, and tracking, Aron's words trailed as he realized that he showed the tribe exactly how to find them!

"We need to leave now!" Aron said as he heard a stick snap in the void of darkness surrounding them.


	3. Hunted

While on the run, Aron, Clove, and Sasha managed to lose the tribe who were hot on their heels. The trio made it to the outskirts of a town, somewhere west of Haven Academy. As panic set in the trio head into a nearby bar, it had a sign which read, 'Sky's,' the outer parts were sleek dark wood, and the interior was a thick, velvet color. Dining tables lit by candle lights, waiters, and waitresses dressed in suits, serving customers. As they looked around, they quickly chose their options, Aron turned to Clove and Sasha, who were catching their breath.

"Ok, here the plan," Aron said, as he pointed to his teammates with a smile. "We split up, stay hidden until the Tribes give up, then we meet outback! Got it? Great break!"

Before his friends could protest, Aron runs into the sea of people at tables. Aron passes table after stand, he saw people eating with a date, friends or just alone, but they were at open view tables until he saw a couple sitting in the corner, a relatively dark corner, but well out of sight. When Aron drew closer to the couple, he saw that it was a bunny faunus and a human, a woman with a bonnet and a cute sweater, the human had brunette hair and had a box that looked like a camera.

"Excuse me, I'm in really BAD trouble," Aron said with a low voice and then leaned to the couple. "I need your help."

"What?! No!" The woman with the hat and sunglasses.

"Here I'll make you a deal. Help me, and I'll pay for your date." Aron pleaded as he showed them a wad of cash.

The faunus started blushing furiously, and so did the woman.

"I-it's not a date," the woman started but was cut off by the faunus.

"It's not?" The faunus said a bit saddened.

"Vel, I-I mean yeah! It's totally a date." Said the woman as she tried to please her date.

"Vel?" Aron questioned, but then just brushed it off. "Anyway, do we have a deal?"

"Yes, and I'm Coco, and this is Velvet," Coco said before they exchanged handshakes.

"So what' cha need?" Coco asked with a grin.

"I need a-" Aron started but was cut off by a door bursting open.

Bandits poured into the restaurant, weapons drawn, as they searched for Aron and the others. They were led by Mark, he entered the lobby, his eyes scanned throughout the room until he saw Aron in the back of the restaurant.

"There he is! Get him!" Mark pointed at his Aron and yelled at his men.

Aron's eyes widened, he quickly tossed a big wad of Lien and gave it to Coco, before he darted toward the kitchen, bandits hot on his tail. After he dodged chefs and pots in the kitchen, three bandits closed behind, Aron ran and pulled down a rack of containers, which caused the bandits to trip and pile over each other. Aron made it to the back door and was about to leave when he heard a voice call from behind.

"Aron! Wait up!"

As he looked back, he saw Sasha and Clove running to catch up. Though they didn't slow down for the pile of pots and bandits, Sasha jumped and did a B-twist over the collection of racks, while Clove somersaulted over, and caught himself with a roll and back up on his feet instantly. The two regroup at the door where Aron was waiting. Once the trio reunited, they rushed out of the kitchen and around the corner building, only to find the whole tribe was there, waiting for them.

"Hello again, Aron."

"Rrrraven, fuck," Aron said defeated, as he eyed every bandit, who stood on cars, on the road, and Raven as she stood in the middle of the street. "This is a fight we can't win guys."

Aron said as he raised his hands in surrender. Clove and Sasha follow behind, but not before Clove threw in his usual quips.

"We could've taken 'em." Clove said as he gritted through his bared teeth.

"Oh, come on, Clo, what's that saying? live today, fight tomorrow?" Aron said with sarcasm.

"What?! Th-that's not even a saying!" Clove said, annoyed while he glared at Aron.

"Yeah, man, course it is. I'm saying it." Aron retorted jokingly with a chuckle.

"If we make it out of this. I swear, I'm gonna kick the hell out of you." Clove said as he let out a sigh.

Raven, while being across the unusually small street, snapped her fingers, and which caused the bandits to close in on the trio. They cuffed their hands and forced them to their knees', Raven drew closer to Aron and his squad.

"You thought you could just betray me? So you could run and warn my brother?!" Raven said as she crossed her arms and glared toward Aron.

"Yeah, that was the plan, anyway," Aron said with sass, as he used his tail to wipe his brow.

"Well, too bad, you won't live long enough to make it to him." A voice called from a nearby shadow.

"Of course, you'd be here." Aron said annoyed, and disgusted, "Ready for round two?"

"Aww, foolish little fox, even when outnumbered, the mere sight of me, pushes your anger to another level." Cinder said smugly as she walked out of the shadows, trailed by Mercury and Emerald. "You want to kill me, don't you, boy?"

"You have no idea," Aron barked with his teeth bared, as his eyes traced Cinder's every step.

"Well, dreams are only for children, this is the reality, and some things are impossible." Cinder said as her smug smile turned into a frown.

"Heh, there's something you should know something, Cinder." Aron laughed as he slowly started to stand, with his head facing toward the ground.

"Oh? And what's that boy?" Cinder snapped angrily, her eyeshot daggers into Aron.

"Nothing will stop me from killing you, even if I die in the process, I'll make you and everything connected to you suffer…." Aron said as he slowly looked up from the ground and toward Cinder, who stared back with the same hatred for her nemesis, Ruby Rose.

As Aron stood, a red-orange mixed aura encased his body, the look in his eyes change, they were filled with pure rage, his tails begin to multiply to nine. Still locked on Cinder, Aron started to walk toward her; with each step, the ground cracked.

"His semblance so strong it's visible!" Cinder said as she took a step back.

Cinder only smiled, as she activated her own semblance, Raven and the others retreated to the other side of the street, leaving Sasha and Clove in their warpath. The sheer force from both skills caused Clove and Sasha to be blown back.

"Ready?" Aron said, teeth bared, ready for the kill.

"You know it, boy." Cinder sais, as her eye glowed with the fall maiden powers.

Without another word, the two launched toward each other, colliding, which caused a shockwave that knocks everyone to the ground. The two threw a series of punches and kicks, Cinder took a right hook that sent her flying into a parked car, as she adjusted herself, she glared at Aron, who walked toward her. Cinder lifted herself out of the destroyed car, then she wiped her mouth as blood oozed out of the corner of her mouth. As she looked at the blood on her black glove, her anger exploded.

"You dare make me bleed!?" Cinder shouted with each ounce of anger and hatred. "You die!"

As she said that, she unsheathed her sword and lunged to Aron, who dodges her slash to his head, with a classy slide. Cinder kept a barrage of slashes, it seemed endless until Cinder brought her sword to an overhead chop, Aron didn't have time to avoid the attack, there was only one thing to do. Aron's hand movings with lightning speed, as Cinder brought her sword with enough force to demolish a metal beam. The effect caused a cloud of dust that encased to the two, but as the dust settled, to reveal Cinder's sword had been stopped between Aron's fingers. With a quick flick of his hand, Aron sent the sword flying toward his still bounded friends, Clove saw it coming and rolled, as the sword sailed over his head and cut the rope tied around his hands.

The sword struck the wall, and shattered on impact, Clove quickly hurried to his feet and freed his teammate. The two ran to help Aron to be met with Raven's bandits, with little time to act, Sasha and Clove jumped right into a battle with their friends. While Raven watched the fight between Aron and Cinder unfold, she noticed the Aron was burning through his energy faster than he usually did. She eyed his moves and saw the amount of force he put into the punches, and even when he missed, he kept the momentum going with a follow-up kick to Cinder's head, which only exhorted Aron more, but somehow he kept up the offensive and speed.

Clove unleashed his shadows, while Sasha sliced and diced with her blades, as Aron threw rapid combos of punches and kicks. The trio amidst the chaos, Cinder, Raven, and her bandits, managed to find each other back-to-back. Through the slightest chance, they felt like they could win, with their combined skills, and teamwork. The sounds of battle and their will to survive with the need to triumph over their enemies made them unaware of the closing darkness. The pure hate had drawn a mast of Grimm toward the town. As Aron and Cinder clashed, a roar pierced everyone's eardrums, which caused everyone to cover their ears, those who didn't, blood ran out their ears, and pain etched into their brain, while fear ran through their bodies. Clove looked towards the roar, as his eyes widen, he saw in horror, a Grimm Banshee, a deviled beast, pale creaks run out the red eyes down its cheeks. Dark hair flowing as if it was underwater, unhinged jaws sways with the moves of the Banshee's shaken shuffle, like a Clicker off The Last of Us.

"Aron, Sasha, we need to leave!" Clove whispered as he backed up from Grimm.

"What?!" Sasha said as she gestured at the current predicament of being surrounded, "We can't exactly do that!"

"Shhhh! It relies on its hearing to kill." Clove shushed harshly. "Don't make any loud noises."

As the Banshee mounted a car looking over the petrified warriors, Beowolves and Ursa stalk around the corners of the street, both sniff the air, and picked up the scent of hate, and fear from the bandits and Cinder. Aron slowly made his way to his teammates. Everyone remained as still as they could. The roaming Beowolves and Ursa spiked the fear in a couple of bandits, causing them to run, the noise from their running alerted the Banshee, who was in a sentry mode, watching with blind eyes and listening with razor-sharp ears. Locked on to the bandits, the Banshee let out a pitched scream which shattered the nearby windows, then it lunged with horrifying speed, arms stretched out, dagger-like claws, impaled one of the bandits, the other slicing the calves of the other. As he watches helplessly as his friend bled out in front of him, like meat on a hook.

The Banshee lowered its hands, making the lifeless body slide off its three enormous claws, smacking the ground with a heavy thud, organs spilled out like wet noodles. The sight caused him to scream, which sealed his fate. The Banshee's head jerk to the sound, as it crept toward the injured bandit. The others could only watch as his straddle him, forcing his shoulders to the ground. The Banshee leaned to his face, a few inches from his, its sniffs sharply, then it lets out a concentrated high-pitched scream directly to him. Soon the bandit started to scream in agony as his head inflated and began to make his ears bleed, and his eyes bulge while gushed streams of blood. Soon after, his head exploded, the Banshee picked up his headless body and flung it into a nearby display window. Aron and his team need to figure a way out before the same happened to them; their lives were in each other's hands.


	4. Found

A/N: In honor of the release of the first episode of Volume 7, which I did not watch because I'm poor, I give you chapter 4. Hopefully, you guys like it.

A calm breeze blew through town as Aron and his team stood very still trying not to make any noise, along with Cinder, Raven, and her bandit party. Millions of ideas rush into Clove's mind, seeking the best way to avoid dying and getting out with their hearing intact, more or less without nightmares from Grimm.

"I've got nothin'." Clove said as his arms dropped to his side, and a disappointed look sank over his face, "Well, this is where we die. To the floaty-haired, lives in a pineapple under the sea lookin' shit."

Of course, the Banshee heard every bit of Clove complaining, who just stared at him with what looked like disbelief. The two just stared into each other's eyes, while Aron and Sasha didn't know what to do. Either laugh, question why it was so specific, or just run for their lives. As the Banshee charged them, a can came whistling toward the Banshee, which hit it's head and fallen on that the feet of the Banshee. A few seconds go by, and the grey-can exploded into a blinding flash of light and high pitched ringing.

"Ah! Dammit! I looked right at it!" Aron shouted as he covered his eyes, with Clove doing the same, yet Sasha had pulled out a pair of sunglasses, like some secret agent.

As Sasha walked over to Clove and Aron, then basically dragged them to where the grenade came from, which was from the girl Aron had asked for help earlier, Velvet, who had a blue holographic grenade launcher in hand. Just as they reach Velvet, Coco appeared from behind a car with a minigun.

"This is for messing up our date!" Coco yelled with anger, as she unleashed a volley of bullets into the Grimm who was still stunned by the grenade, soon Velvet joined in, letting loose, raining down hell onto the Grimm. Both were simultaneously blowing it to bits and ripping it to shreds.

"Damn." Aron, Sasha, and Clove all said with shock, as Sasha had an approving look on her face, while the other covered their mouth and ears like the three wise monkeys.

"Well, that was entertaining, wasn't it?" Coco said with a little chuckle; then she turned to Aron and others, whos hands shot up because Coco's barrel was pointed directly at them, "OH! Sorry about that, this thing's heavy, you know."

A second later, both their weapons had shifted into handbags. Lucky Cinder and the others were still blinded because Velvet forgot she had a few extra flashbangs in her launcher. As they turned to make their getaway, Aron stopped, and a look of confusion covered his face.

"Wasn't there an Ursa and a couple of Beowolves?" Aron said as he scratched his head and slowly turned around, only to get struck by the paw of an Ursa coming right at him, "Oh, SHIT!"

The force of the impact knocked Aron into Coco and Velvet, which sent them back into the restaurant with scared patrons in hiding. Lucky Aron's landing was cushioned, but at the cost of Coco and Velvet being knocked unconscious.

"Ah, that's not good," Aron said under his breath as he bent down to check their pulse, finding it caused him to let out a sigh of relief.

Aron stood up and brushed off the debris and dust off his clothes, then grabbed a nearby chair and walked out the door to find that Clove and Sasha were fighting off the Grimm and Bandits who recovered from the flashbang.

"It just doesn't get easier, like what the hell man," Aron said as he used the chair to barricade the door to the restaurant shut, "Sure it's a fire hazard, but at least their safe, for now at least."

Aron joined his friends in the fight, as he took the lip off a nearby trash can and flung it into an Ursa, which only bounced off its body and clattered to the ground. The Ursa turned to Aron and with a roar, charged at him. As Aron smiled when he activated his semblance and met the Ursa head-on, as they closed in on each other, Aron jumped and with an ax-kick to the ursa's head, kill the Grimm. Aron ran behind the Ursa, then grabbed it by the back leg with all of his strength, swung it into a group of bandits that closed in on Clove from behind.

Clove used his shadow to make a trident and skewered a beowolf, which he threw in the air, to be cut in half by Sasha with her twin blades. Along with a couple of bandits were knocked out with the pommel of Cloves' trident and headbutted by Sasha.

The trio tried not to kill their fellow bandits, which was surprisingly easy; with each Grimm that fell, a bandit was knocked out with a punch to the head. Soon the number of Bandits outnumber the Grimm, which was enough of a distraction from the trio to make their escape.

As Sasha and Clove ran ahead into the forest, Aron looked back and met eyes with Raven, who stared back. With a smile, Aron brought his hand to his mouth and blew her a kiss, which he could tell got to her because of the way she looked away embarrassed and with a little blush.

As they ran through the forest, they closed in on Mistral and were closer to when the White Fang would attack. They were a few days out of Mistral still, but they were making good time by traveling through the treetops and during the night.

Soon they arrived a day earlier and decided to get some rest in an abandoned building, as Clove kept watch and Sasha was getting a fire going, Aron made food with what they had either hunted or stole from shops.

"Well this is it, we made it to..." Clove started as he walked over to the fire, "Wait, where are we again?"

"Um, Mistral?" Sasha said as she pushed her map out of view, "You know the home of rich people, and school that trains killers and such."

"Ok, you're right about the second part." Aron said as he took a bite of his food, "The rich people live in... uh, Altas!"

"Oh, right, right, cause they have all that tech, now I remember." Sasha said as she moved her hands closer to the fire, "Then what was Mistral's deal again?"

"I think they were farmers?" Clove said as he scratched his head, "I dunno, I failed world history."

"heh, I think Mistral was famous for brave teachers in their academies." Aron said as he held his chin thoughtfully, "Actually, I might be wrong."

As the three tried to figure out why Mistral was unique, they ended up drifting off to sleep, and by morning they were woken up by some chickens that had wandered into the abandoned house.

"Oh god, whose idea was it to sleep on the floor?" Sasha groaned as she slowly sat up with her hand on her back, "My back is straighter than a man with a harem."

"Really? It's better for your back, Sash, besides we got to look around town before the tribe gets here." Clove said as he did a stretch, which caused most of the bones in his body to crack and pop.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I saw some old shops when we snuck in last night. Maybe so cool stuff to buy." Aron said as he smoothed out the fur on his tail, "Or steal. Let's go get some grub."

Aron and his friends spent the majority of the day just exploring Mistral, which was rather dull for their tastes though Aron found an old weapons shop and was fascinated with the ancient swords and bows and arrows, so he passed the time browsing. While Clove and Sasha browsed the outfits just across the store, Aron frantically looked over the variety of weapons until something caught his eye, a symbol of red and white as it crossed the venue outside the store entrance. As he looked closer he saw that it was the White Fang emblem, though it was a lone soldier, Aron whistled a soft, sharp note that caught his team's attention. If the use of his fox ears, he signaled his team about the soldier and that he was going to follow him. Clove mimicked Aron's ear movement, which meant that they would follow behind in case it was an ambush.

Aron quickly made his way out of the store and on to the rooftops, then he followed the White Fang soldier to the outskirts of the Mistral Academy. As Aron stuck in the shadows of the buildings, the soldier led him to a building, Aron had to find another way into the building, not wanting to be caught by the White Fang. Aron waited for the others to catch up, by then it was nearly dusk and the sunlit the sky with orange and pink colors. The trio couldn't find a way into the building with the soldiers, so they decided to see if they could search Qrow.

"Hey, is that Raven?" Clove pointed out from in a tree, Aron and Sasha, who were at the base, "Looks like a hall or lobby of the school?"

"Huh, where?" Aron said as he looked toward where Clove was pointing, as he saw Raven stop at the door of the main hall, she looked around to make sure she was alone then walked into the building, "That must be where Qrow is, and with the cover of shadows, we make out entrance."

With swiftness and soft feet, they made their way across the grounds and into the building, but to their surprise, the room was empty. Still, before they could speak, they heard noises from outside, so in a panic, they hurried up the rafters and watched from the shadows as Qrow, and a group of kids walked into the room.

"Hey, check it out; it's that hot-head and the princess from camp." Clove said as he pointed at Yang and Weiss with Qrow.

Qrow and the children entered further into the room; they were greeted by a sharply-dressed man, who wondered why there were so many of them and why they hand weapons. Instantly Aron's danger meter skyrocketed, yet Sasha and Clove didn't seem to notice, so as a precaution, Aron scanned the room and saw a raven perched just one level above, where they were hiding.

"Is it?" Aron whispered, but he was interrupted by a gunshot and the railing where the bird had exploded.

A second later, Raven had appeared behind the sharply-dressed man, who they called Lionheart, and as Raven briefly talked with her Qrow, she drew her sword and cut open a portal as she did back at the tribes camp. A mere moments after, the group who Aron had met outside the gate had walked through, along with Vernal and one other, then followed by an explosion outside, as Clove looked out a window, he saw swarms of White Fang soldiers rush the grounds.

"We got a lot of company, what's the plan?" Clove said as he ducked down from the window and looked between Sasha and Aron.

"Do we watch? Or can we join the fight?" Sasha said excitedly, obviously wanting to join the fight, "I've been itching for a fight."

"Then be my guest, oh loyal companions, just don't kill them," Aron said with a short chuckle, "I'll stay and keep an eye on Qrow, make sure he doesn't bite the dust too soon."

With a short nod from his friends, they made their way out the nearby window and to fend off the White Fang as long as they could. As Aron continued to watch from the shadows, the battle started to escalate, and each group broke off to fight another.

A boy had challenged Cinder, while Weiss fought Vernal, and Qrow battled Raven, Aron watched each fight intensely.

"Argh, Focus up Ponyboy, she's tough than she looks." Aron muttered to himself as he watched Cinder's fight, then his eyes flicked to Raven's battle, "Talk about a choice of moral right now. Either help my friend or help my-"

Before Aron could even finish his sentence, he was cut off by a scream, when Aron looked back to where the cry was, Aron saw Cinder had speared Weiss, Aron felt his rage spike, but he kept calm, so he didn't reveal himself to early.

As a bulky man, the other who came through Raven's portal started to roid out and attacked a small child, Cinder and Raven moved to a statue in the room with Lionheart, a short conversation started between the two, and the figure began to sink, with Cinder, Raven, and Vernal along with it.

"Now, where are you guys headed?" Aron said as he made his way over to them, luckily with everything going on, it was the perfect time to go undetected.

As he reached the hole, he saw Mercury and Emerald teaming up on Yang, Aron hesitated for a second and looked between Yang and the pit, as Aron shooked away the feeling and steeled his resolve, he stepped off the edge and dropped down the shaft.

After what felt like an eternity, Aron landed without making noise on the strange ground. To his horror, he saw Raven frozen in a place, and Vernal pinned to the ground by Cinder, who was using some darkened hand that siphon the life out of Vernal beneath a luminous tree.

Before he could attack, he saw the ice that encased Raven begun to break, Aron saw Cinder mutter something, but he was too far to hear what it was.

Just as Raven broked free, Aron heard her loud and clear, and that caused him to stop in his tracks.

"I am the Spring Maiden."

As Cinder charged at Raven, the two locked in a battle of Life and Death, which got more and more intense as it drew on. Soon the ceiling began to crumble, chunks of rock rained down from above. Aron destroyed the ones that got to close to Vernal and himself. As he jumped up the falling rumble, he saw that Vernal, with the last of her life, helped distract Cinder long enough to finish off Cinder.

Aron landed back on the ground, he saw Raven close Vernal's eyes and make her way to the large golden door. Before Aron talked to Raven, he placed both Vernal's weapons in her hands and positioned her arms across her chest, and he said a few words.

"I know we never saw eye to eye, my friend, but it was one hell of a ride," Aron said as he bowed his head, "Now, I'm sure you'll put in a good word for us, just try to find the rest of us, somewhere not as hot maybe, in the shade would be nice."

Aron stood up and walked over to Raven, who had opened the golden door that revealed a vast desert. Once again, before Aron could make any progress, he was cut off by the sound of gunshots. Aron enough and decided to lean against a rock until it was his turn to do something.

Aron looked toward the elevator and only saw Yang, who saw him as well. Aron nodded toward Raven, then placed his hands over his ears to give them some privacy.

Aron saw Raven start to cry, and so did Yang, Aron walked over to Raven and placed a hand on her shoulder, though he couldn't find the right words, all he could give her as a reassuring smile. While Raven didn't smile back, she gave him a longing hug, and for someone that all Aron did, was hold her in her troubled time. Soon Raven broke away, and with a final look at Yang, Raven shifted into a bird and flew out of the vault.

Aron watched as Raven flew back up the elevator shaft before he turned to Yang, who had stopped just a few inches from the vault door.

"What do you see in her?" Yang asked as she stared into the vault of sand, "I've seen the way you looked at her, with such longing and compassion. Why are you so drawn to her, if she's going to hurt you like she did me?"

"I see many things in Raven. In her, I see strength, pride, and among other things, I see things that she hides from the world." Aron said as he stuffed his hand into his pockets, "I know she abandoned you, and you grew up without a mother, that's something not so easily fixed. Give her a chance, like she gave me, and you'll come to like her, or at least tolerate her."

As Aron turned to head back to the elevator to leave the vault, Yang called out from behind him, though he kept walking forward.

"Hey, take care of her. If you don't, I'll kick your ass myself." Yang said as she stepped into the vault.

"Heh, count on it, kid," Aron said with a smile.

As Aron reached the point where Cinder fell off the bridge, he gazed off the edge and spat down into the void of darkness. Then he made his way back up to the main floor, where Weiss and her friends were still fighting that bulky man. Aron saw Clove waving him down from the shadows as he made his way over to them, he saw that Cinder's team was losing ground.

"So, what'd I miss?" Aron said as he joined his team, "Did you guys have fun outside?"

"Yeah, then some faunus showed up, and started fighting with the White Fangs, so we dipped out," Sasha said as she yawned while she leaned against the railing.

"Hold up somethings happening," Clove said as the battle startled to escalate once again, which got Aron's and Sasha's attention.

In a blink, the room as darkness, and in black smoke appeared a grimmified pale woman in a cloak, who's deformed arms repaired themselves, and screamed as she plunged herself into the huntsmen below.

"Wow, she was hot," Clove said as the smoke cleared, and the room turned back to normal, which caused both Aron and Sasha to look at Clove with 'dude what?!' looks across their faces.

As they looked back down at the main floor, they only saw the team of huntsmen. Aron saw that now was a better time than any to come out and meet their new friends.

"Alright, now the hard work is done, let's go say hi," Aron said as he stepped up onto the railing, followed by a flip and landed on the floor, dramatically, "Well, Qrow, always making a mess, as usual."

The sudden appearance caused almost every huntsman to point their weapons at Aron, who slowly put his hands up.

"How rude, I mean honestly," Aron said as he stared at the multiple barrels point at his face, "Here I am, visiting an old friend, and this is what I get? I should have stayed at the hotel, yeesh."

"Always the joker, aren't you, Aron?" Qrow said as he placed the relic next to the kid with the staff, "I'm guessing this isn't a social call, is it?"

"Ah, saw right through me, huh," Aron said with a chuckle, "Well, my friend, you've just got a new ally."

"Ally, huh? And what does my sister think about that?" Qrow said as he drew closer to Aron, his hand on his blade.

"She disapproves, hates it actually, but I couldn't leave my best buddy hangin' can I?" Aron said as he threw his arm around Qrow's shoulder.

"Of course not, so where's your team?" Qrow said with a chuckle as he looked around for the others.

"You know how Aron likes a dramatic entrance, Qrow," Clove called out as he and Sasha walked down the stairs, "We'd rather just normally walk into a room."

As they joined Aron and Qrow, a few others joined to find out who they were. Weiss and her team, along with the blond-headed boy, joined Qrow.

"Oh, it's you?!" Weiss said, surprised, "I thought you're with Raven."

"Weiss, you know who this is?" Said the girl in the red cape.

"Yes, Ruby, this man brought me food when I held captured in Raven's camp," Weiss answered as she looked back at Aron.

"Name's Aron," Aron said as he introduced himself, "I'm Qrows old drinking buddy, also Raven's current and longest flame."

The last comment earned him a quick, and annoyed slap to the back of the head by Qrow that caused Aron to laugh. Which just left everyone surprised and shocked, while Sasha and Clove explored looking for valuables to take.

The blond swordsman walked up to Aron to ask him about what happened in the tribes camp, though Aron saw him before he got to him.

"Hey, ponyboy, I notice something while I watched you fight Cinder," Aron said as he walked up to him, "Your emotion clouded your mind, so you weren't ready to fight her alone, I know about Beacon, I lost someone there too. So you have my empathy."

"W-what? How did you-" The swordsman started but called out by the girl in pink with a hammer.

"Jaune over here!" The girl in pink said as she waved him over.

Aron turned back to Qrow to find out what they are going to do next, but Qrow was kneeled, talking to the kid with a staff. Aron walked over to Qrow and the boy.

"Yo, Qrow, what's the next plan?" Aron said as he got to Qrow, Aron tail swaying as he waited

"We are going to Altas to collect the next relic, are you coming with us?" Qrow said as he looked up to Aron, "It's at Altas' Academy."

"The academy?" Aron said thoughtfully, "I have a better idea, how about the team and I met you there? We travel faster alone."

"Alright, we'll see you there, but do anything reckless, you hear me?" Qrow said as he turned back to the boy.

"I'm anything but," Aron said as he walked out through the big hole in the wall, "What the? How'd that happen?"


End file.
